Studies have shown that a significant percentage of women and some men may have cellulite and that cellulite is genetic and may become more noticeable with age or can be affected by diet, lack of exercise, hormonal changes and/or changes in weight. Cellulite is more commonly seen in the abdomen, buttocks and thighs, but can also be seen in other parts of the body. The cellulite, under the skin, gives the skin a non-uniform appearance sometimes likened to the appearance of cottage cheese. It is a general notion that the dimpled appearance of skin due to the presence of cellulite is unbecoming.
It is understood that the appearance of cellulite can be temporarily reduced or eliminated by mechanical massage which has the effect of stimulating the local circulation to the area and promoting lymphatic drainage of excess fluids present in fat cells. Both of these effects of mechanical massage may lead to the temporary appearance of a reduction in the appearance of cellulite.
With this understanding, a number of approaches have been proposed to temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite. For example, one approach may involve a user using creams such as those containing Caffeine or Aminophylline to temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite. However, such creams are messy, with no immediate results (in fact, most see no reduction in the appearance of cellulite for 4 to 6 weeks with daily use), maintenance is difficult to achieve and even harder to maintain, and even when results are good, and the recurring costs can be quite expensive. Furthermore, many of the lotions and creams that are applied topically can require multiple applications per week, can require the use of drugs or chemicals, can be irritating to the skin and must be used consistently over time to achieve then maintain desirable results.
As another example, hand held therapeutic massaging devices designed to temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite require active use and significant time requirements on the part of the user. Furthermore, undergoing such services/procedures, such as those used in endermologie or cellulaze treatments, requires the user to schedule an appointment to a specialist's office and have no ‘at home’ utility. Many office procedures may offer similar results in reducing the appearance of cellulite. However, these office procedures require multiple visits to a specialist's office, which are costly and usually more invasive and time consuming, all for a temporary result. In addition, the more invasive the procedure, the more technical skill required by the medical provider and the more dependent the results are on the technician. These more invasive procedures have risks of bruising, bad results and can be painful.
Example devices and methods for the reduction of cellulite can be found in the following patent documents.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,517,499 (Pereira) discloses a massage device with rotating elements. This is a hand held device complete with a suction enclosure. A reciprocating linear motion is communicated to massage applicator rollers to facilitate massaging human tissue in the treatment of cellulite.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,445 (Sivan et al.) is directed to a hand-held cellulite massage system with a gel dispenser. The device applies suction to an area of the body to massage that area and applies gel to treat the skin.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,914 (Costantino) is directed to an apparatus and method for preventing and treating cellulite. Tissues are generated or strengthened by applying radiation or an appropriate frequency to disrupt or otherwise destroy cells.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,573 (Ramos) is directed to a body contour massage device and method. The device consists of a rigid flat base which, when configured with contoured modules and rigid pressure nibs or blades, contours the length of an adult human body. The device operates by arranging the massage elements including buttocks, back, shoulder, and neck modules. With pressure nibs or blades to match the contoured surface of the backside of a person. The person then lies upward facing on the device with the device applied across the entire body for the desired therapeutic effect.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,545 (Jolley) teaches an orthopedic seat cushion for permitting free circulation and protecting the user's coccyx. A cushion with numerous protrusions is disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,079 (Kizemchuk et al.) is directed to a seat cushion with projections. The seat cushion has a flexible substrate and pads. The pads have a pattern of projections thereon in a spaced, parallel relationship. Here, it is indicated that the cushion provides a massage of a person's buttocks or thighs to help alleviate cellulite.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,067 (Gelfer et al.) is directed to a body treatment pad having a multiple number of sharpened skin-penetration protuberances. The pad includes a flexible backing sheet having a multiplicity of similarly constructed rigid blocks at spaced points along the sheet surface. Each block has at least one tapered protuberance extending away from the sheet. When the pad is held under pressure against person's body, the sharpened protuberances act as acupuncture elements to stimulate nerve endings under the skin, thereby increasing the blood circulation and relieving pain.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,778 (Jamis) is directed to a body massaging device which permits a user to massage his back by placing the device between his back and the flat surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,134,735 (Rose) is directed to a mattress cushion with multiple zones. Each of the cushion's three separate zones has a different compression modulus such that when a person presses down on the zones, support proportional to the boy's weigh is achieved.
U.S. Des. Pat. No. 294,212 (Sias et al.) is directed to a design of a seating pad having upwardly extending protuberances.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,000 (Mayer) is directed to patient undersheet for preventing bed sores that utilizes upwardly extending protuberances.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,922 (Henderson) is directed to a method and apparatus for treating cellulite containing areas of the human body. This is a hand-held device that uses a base that supports closely spaced balls. The apparatus is hand-held for massaging and kneading areas of the human body.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,078 (Rogers, Jr.) is directed to a hand roller massage device that is grasped by hand and uses massage rollers to massage areas of cellulite on a human body.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,988,979 (Trainor) is directed to a method of using an exercise bench for performing exercises for the reduction of cellulite which includes a textured surface on top portions of the bench.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,145 (Alderman) is directed to a portable, flexible, hinged cushion with material features and vibrators that can be advantageous for persons afflicted with blood circulation problems, strained muscles, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,573 (Ramos) is directed to a massaging device with modules that fit the entire length of the human body creating a massaging effect when the user lies upward facing on the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,153,207 (Pugliese) is directed at a garment for treating skin through the release of chemicals bound to inside surface of the garment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,987 (Stewart) is directed a method of treating the human body with a mineral solution and a body wrap to aid in the temporary reduction of cellulite.
As these examples illustrate, prior approaches to temporarily reducing the appearance of cellulite, while effective, create user compliance issues that undermine overall success, including costs, ease of use, portability, allowance for changes in the users body positioning, size of person, size of chair to accommodate placement of mat, and performance. Consequently, there is ample room for innovations and improvements.